THE Victorian Government’s reasoning about why it thrust the entire state into lockdown late last month did not explain why Mildura was included in the harsh restrictions, State Parliament has been told.
In response to a question from Member for Northern Victoria Tim Quilty, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the government was concerned about COVID-19 cases it knew were potentially moving in and around regional Victoria up to the New South Wales border when it thrust the state into lockdown.
Ms Symes said that at the beginning of the latest outbreak in Victoria there were concerns about cases in Bendigo, Axedale and Cohuna.
“The Axedale hotel being a regional hotel, we were concerned about the movements of those close personal contacts after the exposure, so therefore the decision to place restrictions on regional Victoria was in response to the cases that we knew were potentially moving in and around regional Victoria, all the way up to the border,” Ms Symes said.
“Fortunately all those close personal contacts returned negative results and have been able to remove themselves from isolation, and as a result … restrictions were eased in regional Victoria a week ago and they will be further relaxed on Thursday at 11.59pm.”
However, Mr Quilty said the Attorney-General’s response did not explain why Mildura residents should have been exposed to the same restrictions as metropolitan Melbourne.
“While it goes to some reason as to why Bendigo might have been locked down, it does not explain why Mildura,” Mr Quilty said.
“Public health directions are subject to human rights assessments and are required to be proportionate and the least restrictive on rights,” he said.
“Health directions without these qualities are unlawful — this government has abused executive privilege to keep these human rights assessments secret.
“They have deliberately hidden this information from the public — this is dishonest and despicable.”
Mr Quilty said that while the lockdown rules were “unreasonable” for Melbourne, they were “ludicrous” for Mildura.
Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said regional Victorians and regional businesses had paid a massive price for the snap lockdowns.
“I get the fact that some of these decisions are difficult when you have got postcodes with high community transmission and you have got active cases,” Mr McCurdy said.
“But why do we need to shut down Swan Hill, Sale, Bairnsdale, Benalla, Horsham, Wodonga, Wangaratta and Mildura — Mildura, which is a six-hour drive from the nearest COVID case?
“It is madness at best to shut down Mildura and our other regional towns.
“At worst, it is creating more mental health issues and destroying livelihoods and families.”
Mr McCurdy said regional Victoria could not sustain lockdown five or six.
“It would break many more businesses and many more communities if this happens,” he said.
“Victorian Labor must get out of Melbourne and truly understand the 25 per cent of the population that lives in the regions.
“They are hurting, they are vulnerable and they are at grave risk.”
